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Officials Investigating String Of Suspicious Car Fires In Tacony

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia Fire Department officials are investigating three car fires overnight, all happening within a few blocks of each other in the Tacony section of the city.

Officials say crews were called on a report of a car fire that spread to a home on the 6300 block of Ditman Street just before 2:30 a.m.

Firefighters say there were two vehicles on fire at that location, one of them being an SUV. Flames from that fire scorched the house behind it slightly. The fire happened right under a bedroom window while the family, including and eight-year-old girl, was asleep inside, but everyone made it out of the house safely.

Neighbors alerted the family at the home to get out before fire crews arrived and put the blaze out in about 20 minutes. Neighbors are relieved this fire didn't spread as quickly as it could have:

"My concern was everybody has a propane tank, so I didn't know if maybe like the propane tank was going to explode or anything, and we all have kids here. My concern was just the kids and other houses catching on fire as well."

The Fire Marshal is also investigating another car fire -- just about two blocks away at Torresdale Avenue and Robbins Street -- using arson-sniffing dogs.

No injuries were reported as a result of any of the fires and there was no serious damage to any of the homes in the neighborhood.

The investigation into all the fires is ongoing.

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